Program Information

During the 5th century BCE the outcome of the Greco-Persian Wars shifted international power from the Persian Empire to the Greeks. The Battle of Salamis is often regarded as the turning point.

A Moment in Time is a brief, exciting and compelling journey into the past. Created to excite and enlighten the public about the past, its relevance to the present and its impact on the future, A Moment In Time is a captivating historical narrative that is currently broadcast worldwide.

Transcript

Lead: During the 5th century BCE the outcome of the Greco-Persian Wars shifted international power from the Persian Empire to the Greeks. The Battle of Salamis is often regarded as the turning point.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of military conflicts between several Greek city-states and the Persian Empire lasting for two decades from 499 to 479 BCE. The naval Battle of Salamis fought in 480 was documented by the Greek historian, Herodotus and was considered by him to be decisive in determining the outcome.

Whether these wars and Salamis saved Western Civilization is a matter of running dispute among historians, but whatever the ultimate result, this great naval struggle stopped Persian imperialistic designs on the Greek peninsula and preserved the unique Greek (that is to say, Athenian) approach to government, democracy and human rights. Without the Greek victory at Salamis, most likely there would have been no Golden Age of Athens where politics, literature, the arts and science flourished and profoundly influenced the ideals and culture of the West.

Although the Battle of Salamis was not the final battle of the Persian Wars, it is considered the turning point because the Persian navy could not recover. Persia lost 200 ships and were forced to acknowledge henceforth the Aegean Sea was a Greek lake. The Greeks, primarily the Athenian Navy, lost only 40 ships at Salamis. After that they had the upper hand. This crucial battle occurred in a narrow straight between the island of Salamis and the mainland of Greece – just west of Athens. Next Time: Ramming, sinking and hand to hand combat.

At the University of Richmond, this is Dan Roberts.

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